There are two issues here.

1. What is the nature of the authority of a deacon? Is it the kind of authority Paul is talking about in Timothy. I think a case can be made that it is not.

2. Who is qualified to be a deacon? There are various views on this and although I incline against women being qualified I know the translation of the relevant passages is not clear cut. At present that's an issue I am willing to sit on the fence about since my time and energy is better spent working on more important issues.

Then we come to practical outworkings of this (on which we may well have to differ graciously).

1. Is this the thin end of the wedge? Well the RPCNA has female deacons and I don't think they are on the road to liberalism! Of course this question has to be answered on a case by case basis and the mere fact of having women deacons does not necessarily mean liberalism is around the corner.

2. Whether serving as a deacon is likely to clarify or obscure gender roles. Prior to my being a deacon the church has on rare occasions (maybe once a year) allowed a woman to preach. Having discussed my views with my pastor, although he would not be so clear on the issue as me he will not have women preaching now because of the strength of my views. That's a start. He and I still have some conversations to finish on this topic so don't be too hard on him yet. He's had a very full year helping his wife with her cancer and now going through treatment himself. God is patient and I'm happy to take time over this. We hope to meet to continue talking after his treatment, so probably August or September.

I think the issue here is not whether a church has got all these issues straight but whether they are willing to work through these matters and think afresh rather than to stridently adopt a feminist agenda. Now our church has a lot of poorly taught Christians in it and it will take time to help them grow in discipleship. I don't think the first matter to address is female deacons. Other issues are much higher on the agenda and must be dealt with first.

3. Don't forget you are very lucky Americans with a plethora of confessional Reformed churches to visit. My nearest is 35 miles away in a different county. Before you say that isn't far remember this is England. It's a smaller country with a much higher population density and much longer history and hence much stronger local identities. It would be very odd culturally for any Christian to travel so far to go to church.

4. I am highly committed to the Reformed faith and also to seeing Reformation in churches that are not yet Reformed. That is a glorious, difficult work to be involved in but one which seeks to give expression to Jesus' new commandment.

I hope that puts things in context.

In Christ,

James.